A Face in the Crowd
by Fireblade K'Chona
Summary: I wrote this for no reason. It sort of intrigues me, so I might continue it one day.
1. A Stranger's Eyes

(fill in standard disclaimer here)  
  
This is a strange little thing that popped into my head while I was at Writing Club...yeah.  
  
Muse responsible: That's an oxymoron! *Scheherezade smacks Blade* *rubs head* Oweee...okees, actually, I don't know what inspired this one...I think there's yet another muse floating around in the nether regions of my mind who hasn't bothered to appear yet...why it'd want to stay in the nether regions of my brain, though is beyond me...scary place to be...  
  
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I grudgingly followed my sister down the street, wondering why in the Havens I had agreed to this. Lugging the family shopping basket, I sighed as my sister once again stopped at a stand, bargaining animatedly.  
  
Glancing back at me, she yelled over the bustle of Exile's Gate's market, "Go see if that apple vendor has any Golden Beauties!"  
  
Sighing again, I began inching my way through the crowd to the apple vendor- only to run headlong into someone.  
  
[Thank the Havens that the basket's latched-] I thought as I tumbled backwards and barely caught my balance.  
  
The other muttered, "Sorry," and glanced into my eyes-  
  
We stared at each other for a long moment, the stranger's ordinary brown eyes looking into my gray ones, seeking, finding, measuring-  
  
My sister broke the moment by tapping my shoulder, even as the other moved on with the crowd. "Where are the apples?"  
  
I watched the stranger who I had run into meld into the crowd once more.  
  
Blinking at my sister, I continued towards the apple vendor, somehow feeling as if I had just gained, then lost-something-  
  
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I'm just evil, aren't I?  
  
Don't worry, I will continue! I'm intrigued by this.  
  
Now tell me what the story is about now! I already know, but I feel a bit evil today...BWAHAHAHAHAHA!  
  
Scheherezade: *slaps Blade*  
  
Blade: *sticks out tongue at muse*  
  
~Fireblade K'Chona 


	2. Healer's Apprentice

(fill in standard disclaimer here)  
  
Ok, ok! Here you go! I'll respond at the end of the chappie so you can read it right away.  
  
Meet Tiernan, everyone! Tiernan, meet everyone! Tiernan is my 6th and newest muse! He is very tall, has red hair, green eyes, and a pronounced Irish accent! He may or may not be a Druid...  
  
Muse responsible: Tiernan!  
  
Oh, and this is switching POVs. Now it is the other person. Not the one with the sister...though this one does have a sister who's four...shutting up.  
  
[brackets] are thoughts. As usual.  
  
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I continued with the crowd, slightly dazed by the meeting. [What the hell...I could swear something happened, but what?]  
  
Finally leaving Exile's Gate, the shortcut I took to get home, I entered the front gate of the narrow street of different Guild members, mainly ones belonging to the Metalworker Guild, though my mother ran and worked a shop for the Cloth-Craft Guild.  
  
Entering the house, I glanced into our modest parlor-and froze.  
  
A tall, powerful-looking man who looked like he should be swinging a sword and saving the world was sitting calmly on a chair, sipping tea.  
  
What made me stop was that the man was wearing Healer's Greens. "Is something wrong?"  
  
The Healer looked at me, then, strangely, through me. "I thought so. Remember me at all? I was at the apothecary when you ran in to buy stomach- soothers. You have potential to become a Healer, boy."  
  
I blinked. I couldn't recall seeing the man anywhere...  
  
Mother stood and enfolded me in her arms. "Jervain, we're so proud of you! You're going to be a Healer!"  
  
I hugged her back, absently noting she was wearing a slightly finer fabric than usual-growing up in the shop of a seamstress had its effects on you.  
  
"Go pack, youngster-just personal things. You'll have uniforms at the Collegium."  
  
I obediently headed upstairs, still stunned. [First that stranger at the market, now becoming a Healer-I thought it was mostly women who were Healers-]  
  
In my room, hardly larger than a closet, yet unshared by any of my three sibs, I pulled out my pack and started picking out things. [After all, I can always come back and get something if I forget it. It's not like I'm going to the other side of the world.]  
  
Soon, a small pile had accumulated-my comb, a few trinkets my father, a silversmith, had made me, a sewing kit, my scrap bag...]  
  
[Funny. Mother was training me to sew...perhaps join the Guild later. I wonder why I didn't notice...ah well.] My sewing was quite skilled by now- I had even made my youngest sister a matching dress and cloak. Granted, the dress was very simple...but I had tatted the lace on the sleeves and the hood myself, with much trial-and-error.  
  
At last, I moved my pack off my bed, packing done. Only to see the quilt on my bed...made by my mother and I when I was very young. I ran my fingers over the central square, a flower made of very simple geometric shapes. The stitching was a bit crude and very uneven in many places, but my mother had been so proud when she saw it...now the quilt graced my bed in winter.  
  
[The thing was never made for such a small bed...but I'll take it.] Folding the quilt laboriously, for it was of a size to cover my mother's and father's bed and still have enough to trail on the floor, I wrapped it in an old cloak I had been intending to scrap and carried it downstairs.  
  
Mother dithered over me at the door, hugging me, shedding a few tears, talking about how I was all grown up, and handing me a packet of food.  
  
I took the dithering stoically, then headed out the door, a bit glad that was over with, now free to be anxious about what lay ahead.  
  
The Healer had wandered a bit while I was being dithered over and now was sitting in a two-person cart drawn by a dun mare. "Since Healers and Bards don't have the pretty white horses to take us to the Palace, if one of us notices someone in Haven, we use these," explained the Healer. I plunked my things in the back and swung up beside him, looking back at my house.  
  
The Healer flicked the reins, the horse broke into a trot, and we rode towards Healer's Collegium.  
  
I was still faintly stunned by all this quick moving about.  
  
Once we reached Healer's Collegium, the Healer showed me a room and left with the words, "A Trainee will be by shortly to help you."  
  
I stared at my new room, slightly nonplussed.  
  
The walls were bare, but there was a small rug on the floor. A small fire burned merrily in the fireplace, across the room from a desk and dresser. The bed was under the window, and to complete the room, a bookcase stood by the fireplace in a small nook in the wall.  
  
For lack of anything else to do, I unwrapped the quilt and spread it over the bed-it drooped far over both sides and farther over one end, but it made the room look like mine.  
  
Hanging the cloak on a peg by the door, I set my pack down and wondered what to do.  
  
"Heyla! You must be the new Trainee," said a cheerful voice. I turned-a boy in pale green stood at the door. "I'm Andere. Come on-I'm supposed to get your uniforms."  
  
In another whirl of activity that left me gaping, I found myself back in my room about a candlemark later, dressed in pale green.  
  
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Stopping here for...no particular reason. Jervain's all confoozled...  
  
And I'm finally posting the thing, after having finished it a few weeks ago...  
  
Reviewerthanking!  
  
Cat McDougall: Here it is, and yes, Scheherezade doesn't need to smack me that much, but she smacks me on a regular basis anyway, so...  
  
Cerulean Sky: You know, I couldn't tell you if I wanted to...  
  
Cookxenya: Hmm. A bit off. The younger sister had the older sibling (haven't decided whether or not it's a guy or a girl yet) on an errand and the stranger, Jervain, just got himself into Healers...and I doubt that she's going to be Chosen.  
  
Faeborn2930: Ooh, Officially Intrigued? So am I...I will write more! *glares at schedule and pokes in a few minutes to herself* There, that should help.  
  
Senashenta: Righty-o! I cannot believe I just said that. Um...you just give me the link, I guess, I'll go get it, and I'll mail you so you can take it off the Net right away...  
  
Nanashi: Ooh, thank you! *basks in praise* I feel loved!  
  
Have pie!  
  
Reviews are loved! And be sure to welcome Tiernan!  
  
~Fireblade K'Chona and Tiernan! 


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